The European Commission Review of Career Guidance

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• The European Commission Review of
  Career Guidance

Ronald G. Sultana University of Malta
Meeting of Education Ministers Dublin 28/29
April 2004
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• 3 overlapping reviews
• OECD CEDEFOP (and ETF) World Bank
• 37 countries, of which 29 in Europe
• Broadly similar policy challenges
• Tool to benchmark and review practices
• Tutelage Lifelong Guidance Expert Group

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• services intended to assist
• individuals and groups
• of any age
• at any point throughout their lives
• to make educational, training occupational
  choices
• and to manage their careers

definition
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• a private and public good
• promotes LLL goals
• addresses LM issues
• fosters social inclusion

guidance
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youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
6
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
support complex transitions extend guidance
provision promote the guidance-oriented
school ensure guidance is not crowded out embed
guidance in curriculum cater for needs of
out-of-school youth
youth
7
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
narrowly targeted guidance function muted job
mobility career management role of
enterprises trade union input needs of older
workers
adults
8
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
serious limitations are evident potential of
ICTs self-service, self-help modes guidance at
home, work, leisure sites digital divide call
centre technology
access
9
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
thorough, objective, reliable information
dump? fragmented, unconnected consolidate data
sets connect educational and career information
with LM data quality issues usable, reliable,
up-to-date information
inform
10
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff
great diversity multiplicity of roles differences
between education and PES staff little
specialized initial training process of
professionalization
staffing
11
youth
adults
access
inform
funding
staff

• main burden is on the state
• devolution and subsidiarity
• outsourcing
• dangers of policy vacuum
• overlap, standards, inequity in service provision
  
• market and quasi-market provision

funding
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• Need for more determined leadership
• 3 key mechanisms legislation, quality standards,
  evidence-based monitoring
• Key role of the state
• Need for support from social partners
• More cross-sectoral collaboration
• Role of National Guidance Forums

leadership
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• rich thesaurus of noteworthy practice
• draw inspiration for a heightened degree of
  strategic and enlightened leadership
• for the benefit of the individual, the economy
  and society alike.